Lost Star
by Beatrice Rain
Summary: 18-year-old Tara is shunned in her own world and finds herself on the run. When she comes across a door to a place far away she struggles to fit into this new world, but will she be able to find peace and, above all, love?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, this is my first fanfic so bear with me! Hope you enjoy it :)**

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They say that life's a dream, but I tend to disagree. I guess you could call my life insomnia. Take now for instance, I was running more rapidly than my legs could carry me, but still I needed to go faster. The stone gravel cut groves into my bare feet, making me feel very much awake. I turned a corner to find a police car and two officers advancing on my position. Shouts for me to stop erupted over the overbearing wail of the sirens, forcing me to dig my hands into the sides of my head. The loud noises were too much for my delicate senses. To me, each sound had the intensity of fifty loud speakers and then some.

A police man put his hand on my shoulder, jolting me out of my reverie. My fist shot out at his face, making contact harder than I'd intended to. I felt his nose crack like an egg and watched as blood began to spew from his face._ Oops._ Bringing, his hands up to his face, he instantly recoiled in shock. I decided not to tempt fate by standing there any longer so I turned on my heels and sped away.

If anything, my stunt had only made them more intent on catching me because more and more officers seemed to take up the chase. They were now pursuing me on foot and gaining on me rapidly. I pictured an ominous presence telling me: "you can run, but you can't hide", so I decided I ought to find somewhere to hide, just to be awkward. I didn't think to consider whether the decision would come back to bite me in the back side.

I swiftly made for the door of an old and tattered shop- my torn, white hospital gown billowing out behind me. I resolved to move every piece of furniture I could find to barricade the rather flimsy looking door and to my relief, I watched the officers run past, oblivious. Pressing my back to the wall, I slid down to the floor, my chest rising and falling harshly. A small cough brought my attention to a woman stood at the far end of the shop, which was odd considering the fact that it must have been nearly two o'clock in the morning. I quickly scrambled to my feet and to my surprise, a smile spread across her beautiful face.

"What is your name child?" she said, her voice a sweet melody.

"Tara," I replied, with no idea why I was trusting her.

"Ah, Tara: our star," her voice resembled the ringing of bells and left me with a strange, warm feeling. The slight movement of her head drew my attention to the shimmering array of golden locks that cascaded over her shoulders. I stared at my own, matted hair. The brown curls were so dark, that they were nearly black and were probably best described as frizzy rather than curly. However, the dark locks suited my milky-chocolate skin tone.

"You're looking for a way out," chimed the woman, interrupting my thoughts.

"That would be quite helpful," I said, walking towards her. Her expression somewhat darkened.

"But are you ready?" A look of doubt and worry glinted in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by her previous pleasant expression.

"I've never been more ready," I said, not quite getting her meaning. All I wanted was to get as far away as possible as fast as possible. The woman nodded knowingly and pulled open a door. If you'd asked me ten seconds earlier if there was a door I would have sad no, but now it seemed like it had been there all along. What was on the other side wasn't clear; it was both dark and light at the same time. It simultaneously went everywhere and nowhere. That didn't matter though. Going through seemed right and even if I had wanted to turn back, my legs would still have carried me towards it. Its pull was like gravity. I turned to the woman, who was stood there smiling back at me.

"Thanks," I whispered, "but I never got your name."

"Galadriel," she replied as I took a final step through the doorway.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter's a little longer :) Thanks for your review of chapter 1 SleepyHollow 5 :D 'Twas really encouraging!**

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Feeling somewhat groggy, I opened my eyes. I appeared to be in a woodland area that was so alive that the ant crawling across a rotting log ten metres away made me flinch. Weird, huh? Well, this kind of experience was kind of a regular thing for me. I could see, hear and feel everything with agonising accuracy. They'd called me crazy back home and locked me up in a mental asylum just because I could see things they were too blind to see, hear things they were too def to hear. I was one way and they were all another. That was reason enough for them to grab their proverbial pitch forks and lock me away.

Taking a shaky breath, I realised I was wet, soaking wet. I groaned heavily and surveyed my surroundings. There was a nest of blue tits in the forth tree to the right and an upset beaver in the river that I'd seemingly fallen into. I suddenly tensed when I heard the approach of five galloping horses about four hundred metres away. Despite their distance, I could still feel the vibrations made by their hooves battering the ground. I started running in the opposite direction: horses meant people and people meant trouble.

When I caught sight of the first horse and his rider, my attempt to get away proved futile. Seeing no other option, I waded into the cool water of the river and submerged myself into the depths. The water was so crystal clear that I could see the five men and horses with near precision. That also meant that they could probably see me too. I silently prayed that they wouldn't look my way.

The men dismounted and began to silently sweep the area. They looked thoroughly alien to me. Though they were men, they wore their hair long and some had the sides braided. Their frames were slim, yet muscular and the angular faces and pointed ears lit a spark of recognition. These were elves. Something told me I wasn't in England anymore. A few bubbles of air escaped my lips as one of the elves caught my eye. Whilst the others had dark, raven hair, his was the colour of the sun. He was slightly broader in build and taller than the rest, reaching about six foot three.

At that moment, I realised that I was staring him directly in the eye. Within seconds he was dragging me out of the water and propping me on my feet. I was quite tall myself, standing at just over six feet tall, so I was used to looking down at people. The fact that I had to look up into his cold, blue eyes unnerved me. All four of the other elves had their bow and arrows strung and trained on my position, daring me to move.

"Who are you to roam freely in Lord Elrond's lands?" demanded the blonde, before looking me up and down. I made a vain attempt to cover myself as I noticed the water had rendered the thin gown I was wearing translucent. My face burned hot and he winced in sympathy.

"My name is Tara," I managed to choke out, "I'm lost."

"Are you an orc?" the blonde stated bluntly, with a frown warping his features. The ever present bows were pulled even tauter at his revelation. I raised an indignant eyebrow.

"You know it's customary to say your name back, not to go making wild accusations!" I huffed, much to his surprise.

"My apologies," he said, not sounding in the least bit apologetic, "I have seen no man, elf or halfling of your colour."

"What does that matter?" I retorted, "I'm a woman." He smiled at that. It was kind of a sexy smirk that made me go weak at the knees. I felt my cheeks get hot again.

"Lower your weapons," he said to his companions, "I see no threat here." I visibly relaxed as the bows were slowly lowered. "However," I immediately became alert again, my heart racing like there was no tomorrow. "Those who are lost do not simply wander into these lands. We will take her to the Lord Elrond." My heart plummeted to my feet and then kept going. Discreetly taking a step back, I prepared to make a run for it, but my feeble plan was cut short when the blonde threw his cloak around me and hoisted me over his shoulder.

"My name is Legolas Greenleaf," he said loudly,"but, to you, I am the prince of the woodland realm!" _Great, _I thought to myself, _what a way to make a first impression, Tara._

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We couldn't have been riding for more than twenty minutes, but I was so damp and sore that by the time we reached our destination I could barely stand. The multiple gashes on my feet made it hard for me to walk, causing me to hiss in pain with every step and sigh in relief when Legolas held me and bore some of my weight.

"Thank you," I muttered to him as my cheeks flushed.

"Worry not," he said with a warm smile, "You will be treated as a guest in Rivendell." I nodded, reassured by his presence.

"Legolas," called a commanding voice.

"My Lord Elrond," said Legolas with a slight bow of his head, "I hope you do not mind, but I have brought a lone wanderer, who was lost at the edge of your borders. She was cold, wet and wore naught but a white sheet. I felt obliged to offer her my assistance."

"I mind not," said the imposing dark-haired elf, "Arwen will tend to her." He stared at me as I removed the hood of Legolas' cloak. His gaze seemed to scrutinise my appearance. "What is this?" he asked, taken back, "only an orc has skin so dark." I sighed, wondering if people were going to make this misunderstanding often.

"I assure you, I am human," I said, almost pleading, "Where I come from, people of my colour are as common as people with skin as fair as yours."

"And where do you come from?" asked Elrond, puzzling over whether I was telling the truth or not.

"It's hard to explain," I said, "It's very different there. I was running... and a woman..." I stopped to think for a moment, "... Galadriel, her name was Galadriel. She brought me here. I am not sure how." Upon hearing the name, Lord Elrond's eyes gave away a hint of recognition. He turned to whisper to legolas, but- little did he know- I could hear his words anyway. My "gift" sometimes came in handy.

"Make her comfortable. She is to be trusted," he whispered, "I will send a message to the Lady Galadriel telling her that the 'star' has arrived." Legolas turned his head in surprise as if it meant something to him. He then grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"Come on," he said, smiling brightly, "you can have the room next to mine." I followed him in bewilderment. I was starting to wonder if I actually _was_ crazy and all this was my own fabrication. Legolas pulled open a door to reveal an intricately decorated room. Closing the door behind him, he sat me on the bed and retrieved a floor length, blue dress. It wasn't an elaborate design, but the soft colours and flowing fabric held their own beauty. Legolas watched as I admired the dress and, much to my surprise, made no move to leave the room.

"Um, can I have some privacy?" I asked, sounding way too timid. Legolas merely made that sexy smirk and turned around. My jaw dropped. He didn't seriously expect me to get changed with him in the room, did he? When I finally, decided that he wasn't going to leave, I quickly slipped out of the hospital gown and struggled into the dress. You could imagine my surprise when I felt a pair of hands on the back of the dress, doing up the buttons that I couldn't reach. My face became hot, in fact my whole body burned with an unfamiliar feeling. My heart was thumping so hard that, to my sensitive ears, it was as loud as a drum.

When Legolas had finished with my buttons, I turned my face to him only to see that he was equally as flustered. Perhaps he hadn't intended to be quite so intimate. I then noticed that our faces were close, extremely close. He stepped forward as I stepped back. My heart was now beating so hard and fast that the familiar 'thump thump' now resembled that of a rabbit on steroids. It was so loud that I was certain Legolas too could hear it. Unable to maintain eye contact any longer, I tuned my face. It was only then that Legolas stepped back, his breathing slightly laboured.

"I assure you Tara," he whispered, his voice bringing about a warm tingly feeling, "My intensions are honourable." With that, he turned around and began to walk away. "Lady Arwen will tend to you," he said, enabling me to see the slight look of embarrassment on his face before he left me alone in the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**The plot's developing! Thanks for your reviews Alison-Fire, xNarcoticMillix, DT and Emma. I'm really glad you like! Enjoy!**

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It had been three days since my encounter with Legolas. I hadn't been able to talk to him, but I would occasionally feel his eyes on me from a distance. My feelings towards Legolas only brought about confusion and anxiety; I guess being confined inside white walls for half my life meant I had the sexual maturity of a nine year old. Arwen and I had become good friends and she was never far away, but I always seemed to subconsciously avoid the topic.

"I love your hair," Arwen said with a wistful smile on her face. I sat in front of a mirror as Arwen pulled a brush through the damp curls. Despite my Caribbean heritage, it wasn't quite an afro. My mother's side were British all the way through, meaning the curls were more smooth and relaxed. "All elves have the same straight hair. Even the humans I've seen only have slight waves." A look of anguish warped Arwen's face. "Are you sure you want me to cut it off?"

"Positive," I said firmly, "I swear, I've not had a hair cut for about four years. I guess it wasn't top priority at the institution. Besides, they wouldn't let any of the inmates near a pair of scissors." Arwen looked intrigued and I watched her visibly struggle to hold back her questions.

"Right," she said, taking hold of the masses of split ends, "off it goes."

I have to say, she did a hell of a good job. She'd cut it so short that the hair only brushed the tips of my ears, yet it still managed to retain a certain feminine quality. After embellishing my hair with a wreath of orange flowers, Arwen stared at my reflection with me.

"No elf could pull off such a look, but it suits _you_ perfectly!" her smile was so warm that I couldn't help but grin stupidly back. I was about to stutter my thanks when a knock sounded on the door.

"Enter," called Arwen as a young female elf glided in.

"The Lady Galadriel is here. You have been summoned." Arwen brushed a loose strand of hair off my shoulder.

"You best not keep her waiting," she said with a grin.

I followed the young elf to a beautiful garden that put everything in my dreary, old world to shame. Drops of dew glistened like jewels in beds of wild flowers with colours so diverse that my eyes had trouble finding something to focus on. The intense flow of sounds and colours sent me into an overwhelmed daze, but they soon settled into a somewhat peaceful white noise.

"It's nice to see you again." My eyes darted to the tall, slender figure of Galadriel. The words were so faint that, for a moment, I wasn't sure if I had imagined them. There was also the fact that the elf's lips didn't move. A radiant smile played with her features. "The time has come for you to become our star." I stared at her confused.

"Was that the reason you brought me here?" I asked, "I don't understand. What do you want me to do?" She laughed; it was a laugh so lovely that I could still hear it chime in my ears long after she'd stopped.

"You will understand, all in due time," was her reply. I had to physically restrain myself from rolling my eyes, I mean, could she not just give me a straight answer. I guess that'd be too easy. Galadriel giggled, which made me wonder if I'd said my thoughts aloud.

"Perhaps I could give you a hand..." she said. "You are a star. You want to know what you must do? Then, what is it that stars do?

I thought for a moment. Stars didn't really _do_ anything. Before GPS and road signs, travellers used the stars to navigate. Perhaps I was meant to guide someone. I quickly discarded the idea: I myself was lost, what guiding could I do?

"You're thinking too much into it," smiled Galadriel, with a look of amusement on her face, "The answer you seek does not hide from you." I narrowed my eyes.

"Stars-" I stopped. It couldn't be so simple could it? "Stars shine." I finished. That was it. It seemed... right. The air was still for a moment. "Are you sure?" I asked, "I haven't been doing any shining recently and, besides, what use could it be to anyone."

"Believe it or not Tara, you are star," said Galadriel, her voice was becoming more imposing and intimidating, "No mere mortal would posses such gifts as your own." I flinched at her reference towards my "gift". To be honest it was more of a nuisance. It was not until Galadriel's next comment that I realised that we'd been having half our conversation in my head.

"How is Legolas?" she asked as she slyly latched onto a stray thought. Her voice softened when she saw my panic and another one of her divine smiles graced me with its presence. "In order to bring you here, I had to bind your fate with that of Prince Legolas," she explained, "He is the anchor that keeps you in this world. It is only natural that you are drawn to him." She paused for a second. "And he to you." My face turned a deep shade of scarlet and I suddenly found looking at my shoes very interesting. By the time I looked up, Galadriel was gone which was odd because- no matter how light- I would have heard her footsteps.

I hurriedly made my way back to my room, not pausing to stop until I collided with something, something hard. Blinking rapidly, I realised I was on the floor and a strong hand was held out to me. I took it gratefully. Looking up, I saw it was none other than Legolas and, judging by his flushed face, I'd caught him completely by surprise.

"Ah," I whispered, remembering what Galadriel had said. Legolas simply inclined his head and began to walk on past me. Deciding to risk it, I called out to him. "Are you busy?" I asked. Legolas turned and gazed at me with eyes that told me he could see nothing else.

"Not at all," he replied.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi :) Sorry, it's been over a week since my last update, but I've been kind of busy :( Thanks for your reviews guys; I get all smiley every time someone says they like it!**

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I couldn't remember the journey back to my room. My heart was pounding ridiculously fast and I could hear the blood pumping in my ears. Legolas and I were standing silently, staring at each other. We couldn't have been more than twenty centimetres away because I could feel his steady breathing on my skin. Feeling Legolas' hand on my face, I closed my eyes, my skin burning under his touch. His slender fingers explored my features before his thumb brushed against my lower lip. I opened my eyes just long enough to see his head moving toward mine.

Our lips touched. Legolas moved away to stare into my eyes, looking for some form of consent. In answer, I pressed my lips back to his. I had no idea when I'd become so bold. I felt myself melt into Legolas' arms as his lips caressed mine in heated passion. He parted my lips with a little coaxing from his own and our kiss soon became warm and wet. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. Pulling me to the bed, Legolas wrapped me in a strong embrace and entwined his legs with mine. I was getting slightly nervous now, I mean, I hardly knew the guy, but he seemed content to hold me in his arms. We fell asleep like that, with my head buried in his chest.

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When I woke, I realised that Legolas was watching me, a look blissful content on his face. I smiled back at him and he pulled me in closer to his chest. It felt somewhat odd: I'd never been so close to another human being before. Though, I suppose, Legolas wasn't human.

"I have to leave Rivendell today," he said in a low whisper. I propped myself up on my elbows.

"What? Why?" I didn't like the idea of being any distance away from him.

"I must return to Mirkwood, to my people," he sighed, "Despite the demise of Sauron, stray orc packs still hassle our borders. I must help defend them." I stared at him. I had little idea what he was talking about, but I got the general gist and I wanted in.

"Then I guess I'll need to find some clothes to travel in," I said, provoking a priceless bewildered expression.

"You wish to come with me?" he asked.

"Where else would I be going?" I said incredulously, answering his question with another. Legolas made that sexy smirk that turned me into clay in his hands. I could tell he liked the slightly unruly and sarcastic side of me; perhaps it was a trait he'd never experienced living among the elves.

Popping a light kiss on my forehead, Legolas crawled out of my bed and crossed the room.

"I'll be next door," he called back to me with a dashing smile.

He must've told Arwen about me leaving because she came in fifteen minutes later with a few shirts and pairs of leggings. She chatted profoundly as I neatly folded the clothes and supplies into my pack.

"Here," said Arwen, pressing a small bundle into my hands. It unravelled to reveal a beautiful and sleek pearl-coloured dress with a splash of orange flowers embroidered into the fabric. "It's one of mine so the length might be a little short on you, but you ought to have something nice to wear just in case." I'm pretty sure my eyes were overflowing with all the gratitude she needed because, when I tried to voice it aloud, she hushed me with a knowing smile. I was really going to miss her.

I met Legolas not long after noon; he was saying his farewells to Lord Elrond. We were accompanied by three other elves, who Legolas explained to be his travel companions. Two of them, for the most part, kept agonisingly silent, only speaking when spoken to. The third however seemed to stand out more. His long hair was somehow blacker than black and his eyes were deep chasms that I tried hard to avoid, afraid I would get lost in their perilous depths.

"Legolas," I whispered, turning around only to find Legolas walking towards the elf and wrapping his arm around his shoulder.

"Tara, meet Elion," grinned Legolas," We've been friends much longer than I care to admit." The elf turned to me with brilliant smile and I realised how wrong I'd been to start making assumptions. I flushed in embarrassment.

"Nice to meet you," I said before he returned the gesture pleasantly. Then we began our journey.

We'd been walking for nearly six hours when Legolas noticed my fatigue and suggested we rest for the night. I mean, I'm not unfit, but I'd never gone so far for so long and my body wasn't used to the long treks that Legolas could handle without difficulty. There was also the fact that I was travelling with four elves, who never appeared to look even slightly ruffled. After discarding my pack, I lounged on the ground in relief as one of Legolas' companions started a fire. The warmth was so soothing that I fell asleep almost instantly.

It was completely dark when I woke. I could hear the soft breathing of Legolas, who'd settled down next to me and I counted two other elves asleep by the fire. Elion was gone. I slowly stood up, anxious not to disturb the others and I set off in the direction of the only unusual sound I could hear. After I'd walked for a couple of minutes, the sound was loud enough for me to decipher it as splashing water. The source was a good half a mile from the camp. Elion stood in a shallow lake, bathing his skin in the clear water. I quickly turned in embarrassment and began to head back to the camp, but froze when I heard him climb out of the water.

"You were watching me," It wasn't a question.

"I wouldn't call it watching," I countered, "I just saw." As Elion walked towards me, I found myself moving backwards until my back collided with the trunk of a tree. Elion's hands came to rest on the trunk on either side of my head as he bent over me. He wore no shirt and his trousers hung loosely on his hips. His slightly bedraggled hair dripped on my face and droplets of water decorated his firm chest.

"You could see a little more of me if you like," he said seductively as I creased my brow in disgust. Putting my hands up, I prepared to push him away, but my palms burnt with a bright glow as I came in contact with his skin. I yelped and jerked back, uncertain of what had just happened. I was about to try and slide under Elion's reach when I heard a low voice.

"Tara." Legolas stood a couple of feet away, his face set with intent. I could see the mixture of hurt in his eyes as I soon realised that I'd been caught in an extremely compromising position. I thought about stuttering that it wasn't what it looked like, but the words got stuck in my throat. What did it look like? Scrambling away, I gave Elion a wide berth to avoid any further contact, my heart beating like crazy. Seeing the expression on Legolas' face stung like an open wound.

I didn't sleep at all the night. Instead, my eyes pierced the darkness, watching Elion's every movement. I observed every movement, not even an ant could crawl across him without me knowing about it. There was something not right about him.

* * *

The next day, we walked in silence. It wasn't anything like the first day of our journey, when Legolas had animatedly told me of his adventures with the one ring. I walked with my head down until I sensed Legolas slow in order to match his pace with mine.

"What was that yesterday?" he asked, his voice was low and gave away no emotion. Turning to him, I opened my mouth to reply before instantly freezing on the spot. I felt the earth rumble beneath my feet and heard the sound of coherant marching. Legolas stopped and looked into my eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a hint of concern. I turned to him.

"There's a large group of people, I'd say about twenty, heading this way." I replied, panic creeping into my voice. Legolas gave me a puzzled look as if he was about to ask a question. Elion beat him to it.

"How would you know?" he asked, much to my distaste.

"I can hear their footsteps," I replied, though I looked at Legolas as I spoke.

"That's ridiculous!" Elion exclaimed, "You're being paranoid." Elion's eyes bore deep into mine as if he was warning me not to say anything more. I returned his look with an equally as powerful glare.

"_You _would say that wouldn't you," I said with as much venom as I could muster.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed, incredilously. I wasn't sure either; I just knew there was something wrong about him. Without bothering to answer, I shot my hand out and gripped onto his arm like a vice. The same blinding glow as last night radiated from my hand and spread to his wrist. He tried to pull away with a cry of pain, but I held fast. Coming to their senses, the two other elves dragged us apart and the light dissipated as soon as our connection broke. I searched my hands in disbelief, but I found they weren't marked. Elion's wrist, however, was red raw, covered in burns and blisters. It took a while for me to register that it was me who'd done that to him.

The marching was getting ever closer and I could now identify that there were eighteen of them and they were big- very big, judging by the heaviness of their tread. I turned to Legolas and the other two elves, panic no longer in my eyes. It was more like a grim acceptance.

"Draw your weapons," I said and, to my surprise, they did just that. I wasn't sure what to make of it; it could have been newfound respect or perhaps just fear. Right on cue, several large figures came crashing through the trees.

"Orcs!" shouted Legolas, stringing his bow. I myself had no weapons and was utterly helpless as we were attacked by what I could only describe as monsters. Their skin was dark, which was probably why I'd come across so many misunderstandings, and their faces were horribly distorted. The smell was quite overwhelming and I was horribly surprised by the spray of black blood as one of the beasts came in contact with an elven blade.

I found myself cowering behind Legolas as he fought off the onslaught of orcs. It was then that I noticed that Elion wasn't fighting at all and that he simply watched as the orcs ran past him and towards us. He _knew. _He knew that the orcs would attack; he'd probably even arranged it. It suddenly made sense that I'd felt his presence as a somewhat dark shadow. It was as if I could actually sense the evil inside him.

A strangled cry broke into my thoughts as one of the elves fell, a sword protruding from his chest. His companion turned in shock and shot an arrow through the beast responsible. Then the orcs were no more. Legolas stood panting in the midst of the fallen bodies and jogged towards me. His eyes raced up and down my body, searching for any injuries.

"It's okay," I whispered, "no-one came near me." Legolas released a relieved sigh and wrapped his arms around me. Over his shoulder, I saw Elion walk up to the other elf and place a comforting hand on his back as they seemingly grieved for their fallen companion. Then Elion took out a blade.

I screamed, causing Legolas to release me and search my face for an explanation. He followed my eyes towards Elion, who was calmly wiping the blood off his dagger with a cloth.

"The orcs were supposed to have killed you," he said as if it was completely normal. Legolas' eyes widened to an impossible degree and I could almost feel the sense of betrayal that emanated from his shaking form. His body was tense and his fists quivered in anger as he leapt towards Elion. Elion sidestepped easily: he was in perfect control, whilst Legolas was maddened with grief and fatigued from the battle. His knee collided with Legolas' abdomen, causing him to hunch over with a grunt.

I screamed as Elion's' blade pierced Legolas' back and thick, red blood began to gush from his body.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the reviews :) I'm really glad that i've piqued your intrests! This chapter's a little short, but I was really busy and I wanted to resolve that anoying cliff hanger asap! Hope you like**

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For a moment, I was unable to move. The shock of what'd just happened seemed to freeze time. My heart was beating like crazy as Elion menacingly walked towards me. A stream of panicked and incoherent thoughts kept racing through my mind, though it all kept coming back to: "Dear God, I'm next."

"It's a shame," he whispered into my ear, "I would've liked to have kept you." A shiver ran down my spine. I had no time to wonder what the hell that was supposed to mean because a moment later I found his sword at my throat. "I always did like unique things," he went on as he brought the blade down, but my eyes were too quick for him. Reflexively tossing my hand out, I caught the blade in my right palm. I somehow managed to refrain from screaming in agony as the blade sliced into the delicate skin and droplets of deep, red blood dribbled down my arm. Elion's eyes widened in surprise before he broke out into a haunting fit of laughter.

Ignoring Elion, I slowly moved towards Legolas: I didn't have time for this. I knelt next to his agonisingly still body and silently willed him to somehow stand up. All I could see was the sea of crimson that pooled around his body and the stark paleness of his skin.

"How dare you!" screamed Elion, any hint of his previous humour was gone. I could see him anger at the lack of attention, but I stayed kneeling. When Elion stalked towards me, I felt a surge of energy course through my body and into the palms of my hands, which I promptly placed on Legolas' chest. Though it somehow seemed right, I had absolutely no idea what on Earth was happening and neither, it seemed, did Elion. My skin began to burn with an unyielding heat as my whole body began to glow in contrast to my dim surroundings. Elion was managing to keep a safe distance, conscious of the burns he'd received from our previous encounter.

Then it stopped. As sudden as the energy came, it left. The light seemed to flicker before dimming as the absence of the energy took my breath away. I lay gasping on the ground, utterly spent until Elion slowly walked up to my heaped body. Feeling his hand on my face, I jerked back, but he only moved to tuck a loose curl behind my ear. The gesture was oddly tender, making the hairs on the back of neck stand on end.

"I'll be back for you," Elion whispered as he stood up and carelessly walked away. I quickly rolled over to find Legolas, still pooled in blood, staring back at me.

"What? How?" he breathed, wide eyed. We hastily sat up and he brought his hands to his tunic, tearing at the fabric. He stared- bewildered- at his chest to see only smooth skin. Reaching forward, I traced the patterns of his back to feel a small, straight scar that was barely visible to the naked eye. I swiftly withdrew as I noticed Legolas' flushed cheeks and laboured breath, but he caught my hand and placed it on his naked chest, above his heart.

"You saved my life," he murmured into my other hand causing my pulse to quicken rapidly.

"I guess you could say that you're in my debt," I teased, unable to hold back the smile that threatened to spread across my blood-splattered face. Legolas' laughed with me, half in relief and half in pure glee.

"Come," he said with his hand rested on my cheek, "Let us leave this place." I could do naught but nod in agreement as he pulled me to my feet. Sparing one last glance to our fallen companions, we left the clearing.

* * *

"Does it hurt?" asked Legolas as he bathed my hand in salve and dressed the large gash. I shook my head. "Can't you heal yourself, like you did me?"

"I don't know how," I said, frowning, "It just came to me."

"Ah, what a wonderful gift it is," said Legolas with a smile so bright that I almost squinted. Wonderful? I thought back to the blistering anger I felt as I burned Elion's wrist. Perhaps not. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but return Legolas' smile.

"That night at the lake-" I began, only to be halted by Legolas' finger on my lips.

"Hush," he whispered, wrapping his arms around my torso, "I know now that it wasn't as it seemed." I struggled to contain my relief as a surge of calm swept over my body. Finding myself snuggling deeper into Legolas' embrace, I took deep breaths, inhaling his sweet scent. It took a while for me to realise that I had my face pressed against his hair, breathing in the fresh aroma of spring.

"You like the way I smell, do you?" asked an amused Legolas as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I muttered something along the lines of "mmhmm" before Legolas' lips came crashing down on mine. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him in closer, enjoying the sensation. Legolas moaned against my lips and ground into me. Whoa. Feeling something _extremely_ unfamiliar against my thigh, I leapt up in surprise. I was careful not to meat Legolas' eyes as I was sure that I was blushing uncontrollably.

"Ah! Tara, I'm sorry. I didn't-" he stopped and buried his head in his hands. "What am I doing?" he asked no-one in particular.

"It's okay," I interjected, "I was just a little surprised, that's all." Legolas looked up, gratitude colouring his features.

"I know we've not known each other for long," he stuttered, "but- urgh! I need you, damn it!" I leaned forward and pressed his forehead into mine.

"I know," I whispered, "I feel it too." For a moment we just sat there in stunned silence until Legolas tenderly brought his lips back to mine.


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's another chapter! Thanks for my repeat reviewers: Dark-Wynter and RaraCloe :) another chapter will be coming soon.**

* * *

Over two hours ago, Legolas told me that we'd reach the borders of Mirkwood in less than an hour. Either he was lying or my sense of time was way off. I craned my neck and squinted but, even with my enhanced vision, there was only green grass and rolling hills as far as the eye could see.

"You lied!" I accused, throwing my hands to my hips. Legolas only chuckled and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I told you only what you wanted to hear," he said with a smile, "besides, I just had to find some way to shut you up." I opened my mouth to protest, but I could find no comeback. He was right of course. I _had_ been repeatedly asking whether we were there yet for the past three hours, but that was mostly banter. "We're not far though," reassured Legolas, "You'll be able to see the forest soon." For the next fifteen minutes, I puzzled over whether Legolas had a photographic memory until, just as Legolas had promised, a line of trees appeared on the horizon.

With renewed spirit, I leapt forward and half-jogged-half-skipped towards Legolas' homeland. Legolas laughed as he watched me twirl gracefully until I realised that I'd ended up a good fifty metres away from him. He was waving at me and shouting for me to wait up with a blissful smile on his face. Naturally, I stuck my tongue out and kept running, enjoying the rush of the wind.

Gathering my breath, I sank into the warm bed of grass and stared absent minded into the distance. It was then that I saw them. I'd been so distracted that I hadn't seen or heard them coming. There were orcs, lots of them, riding on the backs of creatures that resembled bloodthirsty wolves... only twice as big. Springing to my feet, I ran towards Legolas in panic. He was also running towards me, urgently.

"Wargs!" I heard him shout as he reached my side. He pulled out his bow and strung an arrow, ready to slay the first beast that came towards us.

"There are too many," I screamed, "You can't fight them all!" Legolas turned to me and nodded in agreement before grabbing my hand.

"Run!" he shouted as he practically dragged me towards the trees which lined the border of Mirkwood. And boy did I run. My muscles burned with fatigue, but I didn't stop nor slow. Though my body screamed out for rest, my legs kept mooving rhythmically across the ground. The thump of my boots was as loud as a drum in my ears. Looking over at Legolas, I realized that his elven physique could manage _a lot_ faster and he was slowing to match his pace with mine. It was clear now that, despite my efforts, we would soon be outrun and I wasn't going to let Legolas get hurt protecting me. Not this time.

As if some mysterious force was agreeing with me, I felt a familiar energy course through my veins. Though it was still incredibly hot, I didn't feel the same burning sensation as last time, but rather an immense pulse. Legolas' eyes widened in surprise as the pulse knocked him off his feet, tearing his hand from mine. A second pulse tossed him like a rag doll towards the forest. After three more pulses, he'd disappeared inside the trees and I finally felt myself relax. Finding myself on my knees, I threw my hands out to brace myself as I panted heavily. I didn't have much time for rest before I was scooped up, kicking and screaming, onto the back of one of the Wargs.

* * *

At some point or another, I must've been knocked unconscious because I woke up to a thumping headache. To be honest, I didn't blame them considering the ridiculous amount of fuss I'd made. During the first five minutes of my captivity, I learned that Wargs _can't_ run with a boot rammed beneath their rib cage and that orc blood tastes like cow dung mixed with soot and something particularly tangy that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It came as no surprise then, when I was offloaded onto a considerably larger orc who battered me around the head with a club.

My fingertips explored the back of my head to find a clump of crusted blood. Cringing, I surveyed my surroundings. It just so happened that I ended up sitting face to face with a pretty ticked off looking orc, who appeared to be nursing a nasty bite mark on his arm. I smiled sheepishly and cautiously slid backwards until I hit a stone wall. It seemed I was in some kind of cell and (thank God) the orc was on the other side of the metal bars, which were as wide as my forearm.

The orc bared his teeth in what could have been either a creepy grin or a vicious snarl. Trust me, you would have chosen the latter any day. The orc stood and, for a moment, I feared the worst, but he turned away and ascended a winding staircase. As soon as he was out of sight, I leapt off my feet and pressed my hands against the walls. I knew it was useless, but I knew what being confined was like all too well and I was far less than eager to repeat the experience. After a few moments of sheer panic, I let out a frustrated scream.

"What a temper," I heard a voice say behind me. Whirling around, I came face to face with Elion. It'd been three days since our last encounter and I remembered his parting words vividly. I'd just hoped that our next encounter would have been later rather than sooner.

"Didn't I tell you I'd be back for you," he said, wrapping his hands around the bars and leaning forward.

"It seemed to have slipped my mind," I answered back, knowing it would aggravate him. It was quite satisfying to see his face harden and knuckles whiten as his grip tightened. For a moment, I'd forgotten my predicament, but now I was well aware of the walls that were closing me in. I glanced agitatedly around as I kneaded my palms together. I knew that Elion was watching me curiously, but I couldn't quell the build up of anxiety.

Pulling out a key, Elion unlocked the cell door and I visibly relaxed. The smile on Elion's face told me that he thought he'd found my one weakness, but I would've gladly stayed in that cell for all eternity if it meant Elion not getting what he wanted. He walked in and loomed over me.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, surprised at how steady my voice was. Elion reached forward and placed his hand under my chin.

"I want you to shine."


End file.
